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How One Retailer Deployed Its Enterprise Mobility Solution

August 24, 2017 | Post by Steven Pike | 0 Comments

300 iPhones in Just 8 Weeks

The deployment phase of a new enterprise mobility solution is the most critical step for IT departments to get right. What may look to be a nuts and bolts process is actually one of the easiest to get wrong. End users demand mobile solutions that are as easy as their personal devices. If the tools you provide don’t work right away, they may be left unused forever.

If that happens, all of the planning, strategy, and effort done up to that point is wasted, along with any potential cost savings or other benefits expected to be gained from the new solution.

Recently, one major convenience and fuel retailer was looking to deploy over 300 iPhones in just 8 weeks. End users were located in stores and offices across the United States, and could not afford to be without their devices or data during the transition period.

The IT staff did not have the internal resources, time and expertise to fulfill this business unit requirement, and needed to focus their attention on other strategic projects. To make this project vision a reality, they turned to CompuCom to be sure the project was completed on time and on budget with limited disruption to users.

Leveraging more than 30 years of experience working on large scale deployments and enterprise mobility lifecycle solutions, CompuCom was able to:

Source and procure the required iPhones

Process all of the iPhones via the Apple Device Enrollment Program (DEP)

Store, prep, and ship all devices according to the client’s schedule

Migrate mobile access, including phone numbers, from the old devices to the new iPhones

Transfer and download end user data

Assist with setting up personal features such as voicemail and PIN codes

Provide lifecycle services with the CompuCom Advanced Exchange Model

Manage repair RMA and replacement requests following the initial deployment

The retailer was able to get the new devices into the hands of end users and execute on their enterprise mobility strategy.

Seamless Transition from One Device to Another

The end users receiving the new devices were busy, and they relied on their phones to receive their daily work requests and alerts in order to complete their day to day jobs. The new devices needed to be introduced with as little disruption as possible while maintaining all of the user’s existing data, applications and information.

Before the replacement took place, all of the end user’s data was backed up in the cloud and then loaded onto the new device so that it was still accessible. CompuCom then migrated the existing phone number so that the user would not miss any important work requests, calls or messages, and assisted with setting up voicemail, PIN codes and other user settings. From the end user perspective, the only thing that changed was the device itself, and they still had everything they needed to go about their work.

Prepare and Ship Hundreds of Devices in Weeks

The actual delivery of devices can be the most challenging part of an enterprise mobility deployment. With offices and end users located across geographic regions and time zones, it can be very difficult to get the right device to the right employee within a tight schedule.

Devices must be stored until they are ready to be shipped, packaged and prepared to go out, and delivered to the right user. Otherwise, all of the work kitting and configuring will have gone to waste.

Many office mailrooms simply aren’t equipped to handle this type of volume. We were able to efficiently and effectively deliver over 300 devices within the client’s 8 week timeframe, amounting to more than 40 devices a week.

As a result, no end user was left without their device at any time, and the IT team was not forced to manage the complex logistics that come with such a large project.

Ongoing Maintenance and Replacement

Deployment doesn’t end after the initial delivery. Replacing devices for end users requires many of the same steps, and often has tighter time requirements because the user is without access to their phone.

Ongoing maintenance, repair, and emergency replacement can be especially challenging in environments such as retail, where devices tend to take more abuse and need to be replaced or serviced more frequently.

CompuCom continues to provide lifecycle service and support for the retailer’s end users, including Advanced Exchange. An automated replacement request portal was set up so that a new replacement unit can be set up and delivered from the nearest distribution hub as soon as possible.

The broken device is then shipped back to CompuCom for repair or proper disposal. Not only does this help to mitigate downtime and keep end users happy, it also reduces the burden on the IT team who can focus on other initiatives.

The End Result – A Successful Transition to a New Enterprise Mobility Solution

Despite appearing to be a nuts and bolts process following the strategic work that goes into building a new enterprise mobility solution, this major retailer recognized the importance of a successful deployment after making such a large investment.

By working with CompuCom, they were able to seamlessly transition users from the old devices to the new ones, manage the logistics of getting the devices into the end-users’ hands, and handle ongoing maintenance and replacement requests without drawing on their in-house IT team.